Some Thoughts on Learning – 2002

Published on: Author: bette 2 Comments

I wrote this one for Spectrum – The “Occasional” newsletter from The Toy Landing at the Port of Brookings-Harbor.

 

Richard and I bought that little toy store in 2001 – about the time I began attending Eric Jensen’s Learning Brain Expos.  I had met all of the educators who were called the “Brains behind the Brain” in the January 2000 issue of Educational Leadership:  Marion Diamond, Robert Sylwester, Pat Wolfe, Geoffrey and Renate Caine, and Eric Jensen . . . and  I was excited about the direction education was heading in the new millennium. (I have since become very disappointed because the “powers-that-be” have taking a completely different route.)   I missed being in the classroom – but I was beginning to realize that the best learning doesn’t always take place in a classroom.   Behind the counter of a toy store was the perfect place to observe learning at its best.

 

Since during the winter months, business at our store was very slow, I began playing around with a newsletter.  It seemed appropriate to call my column  “From Behind the Counter” . . . because from that vantage point it felt like I could literally see all sorts of little brains at work.

Some Thoughts on Learning

 

2 Responses to Some Thoughts on Learning – 2002 Comments (RSS) Comments (RSS)

  1. Ah..yes…this is why I got into education because of loving to watch a child learn. When I took my mom to the foot doctor the other day, I watched some great interactions between a gramma and her 2 yr old granddaughter. The little girl had a doll and she was undressing it. She pulled off the pants and then was trying to get the top off. The gramma didn’t show her how…she just turned the doll over and let her discover the Velcro and the little girl discovered the strip and began to pull. It was so fun to watch the gramma letting the child make the connections. That is the joy in teaching…setting up the situation and letting the kids figure out the meaning!
    I can see and remember how much fun it was for you having the toy store! 🙂

  2. I was guided through my Early Childhood Education by way of the leading researchers involved and writing for NAEYC, (The National Association for the Education of Young Children),advocating for public policy and professional practices. I loved them then, and I love them now… Magda Gerber, Wheelock College, Ron Lalley and the many names I can’t pull up any longer…

    They would have loved this article and leaped in with their myriad of experience and research to affirm the message.

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